Working in Child Protection for the State Government for over 6 years, Sarah began to realise that her passion lay with data.

“I have held many different roles over my time at the organisation, with one of them focusing heavily on the tracking of data.

“It was here that I found my love for spreadsheets and all things data,” Sarah said.

Looking for a new challenge and something that would give her room for career growth, she looked into further study options.

“I am a big believer in education and that we are never too old to learn, so then I just had to decide where I wanted to take my career and what I wanted to study.

“I had studied my undergraduate program at the University of Newcastle, and I liked the look of the Master of Data Science program.

“It seemed a no brainer since I was already familiar with the university and their systems,” she said.

Having not studied maths since high school, Sarah was cautious about the 3 STAT courses in her program.

“To say it was daunting would be a huge understatement. But with the help of a lovely program coordinator, it all clicked.

“It was so rewarding being able to learn all these new skills and put them into practice,” she said.

Through her studies, Sarah also had the opportunity to complete a mentorship with Cisco called MentorMe that targeted women in STEM fields.

“I was paired with a lovely mentor who I met with weekly.

“I also attended a weekly zoom where we learned more about Cisco and what they do. I met some of the amazing people that worked there, learning about the different paths they have taken in their career.

“My mentor was able to provide me with some great links that were relevant to my studies, and they facilitated meetings with different people in the industry,” Sarah said.

Sarah found that the University was helpful in providing her with information and resources for lots of opportunities like the MentorMe program.

“The university has opened my eyes to the different directions that I can take my degree and it has encouraged me to not limit or pigeonhole myself.

“While it is good to have goals and a specific destination, I think it is also important to be open to trying out new areas on your journey,” she said.

Previously finding purpose in an industry that supports vulnerable members of the community, Sarah aims to use her newfound data skills within community service.

“One of the things that is so attractive about data science is that the skills can be used across all sectors, and I won't be tied to one particular area,” she said.

For future students considering studying at the University of Newcastle, Sarah says “Do it! You won’t regret it”.

“I have now studied both on Callaghan campus and online and both were a great experience.

“I truly believe you will never regret any education you get and there is enough flexibility to try out different subjects and find what you really click with,” Sarah said.

Sarah Roskell `

Sarah Roskell

Working in Child Protection for the State Government for over 6 years, Sarah began to realise that her passion lay with data.

One of the things that was so attractive about data science is that the skills can be used across all sectors, and I won't be tied to one particular area

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